It quite knocked a man over, you know, for you went there expecting to meet with nothing but savages of the same breed as killed Captain Cook; but though he was killed there, let me tell you it's a precious sore subject with them, and they won't talk about it if they can help it; and I believe, after all, it was through a mistake that the poor fellow was killed. Now again we'd go to Callao, or Valparaiso, or Juan Fernandez, and lying idle off one of the ports, see them bring out their convicts and chaps to punish. One dodge they had was to put so many of 'em into a leaky boat right out in the harbour, and there they'd have to keep on pump-- pump--pump--and work hard, too, to keep themselves afloat; for if they hadn't kept at it, down they must have gone, and as my mate said--"Life was sweet, even to a convict." Sometimes we've seen them punish men by lashing 'em to a spar, and then sousing 'em overboard till they're half drowned, when up they'd come again, choking and sputtering to get their breath; then down again once more, and then up, till one of our chaps began to swear, and be as savage as could be, at what he called such cowardly humbugging ways. "Why," says he--"Why can't they give a fellow his four dozen and done with it? But it's just like them beggarly chattermonkey furreneering coves. I should just like ter--" And here he began squaring about, Tom Sayers fashion, as if he'd have liked to have a set to with some of 'em. Now just about that time we used to have a wonderful sight of flogging on board our ship. For two years I don't believe there was a chap had up; and for why? because our captain was one of the right sort, and I believe loved his men. He was a Tartar, too, and he'd have everything right up to the mark, and done like lightning, stamping up and down there with a trumpet under his arm; but then he'd a way with him which the men liked, and they'd do anything for him. Why, I don't believe there was a smarter ship and crew in the service; and though we never had a regular set to with a Russian, except boat service on shore, I'm thinking we should have shown what the _Lysander_ could do if called upon. There was no flogging then, for a bit of grog stopping did nearly always, and the men used to take a pride in themselves and their ship, as is the case everywhere when the officers are gentlemen. When I say a gentleman, I don't mean a silver-spoon man, but one who, having men under him, treats them as they should be treated, and though strict and stern, knows when a kind word's right, and after making them work like trumps, sees that they're comfortable and well-fed. Why, I've known our captain and first lieutenant do anything sooner than get the men wet if it rained--keeping sail on till it was really obliged to be taken in.